The Queen thinks that all toilets smell like fresh paint
by MissKluck
Summary: A short story in which Sakura finds out why Sasuke got so mad at her when she said Naruto must be lucky to have no parents. This is my first fic for sasusaku month.


This is the first time I'm participating in ssmonth, but I've done my best so hopefully it's good enough. This little story is set the same day that Sasuke called Sakura annoying for the first time, which means chapter 3 of the manga.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**The Queen thinks that all toilets smell like fresh paint.**

"Oh my, Sakura, don't you know?" Ino asked surprised, forgetting their usual nicknames for each other in her shock.

"Know what?" Twelve-year-old Sakura blinked innocently over at Ino. It was just a coincidence that they had met up really, and they were still heavy rivals, but something from their past friendship still prompted Sakura to ask about what Sasuke's sour face to her remark was. It hadn't been that long ago, only an hour, when she had talked about how lucky Naruto was for not having parents and Sasuke acted completely different from how she expected him to react. Instead of siding with her against Naruto, he had looked at her with cold eyes and called her annoying.

Maybe she had been a bit harsh towards Naruto, both then and before, and she had decided to be nice to Naruto. Still, that wasn't something that would prompt Sasuke to actually defend Naruto, was it? Did he know something that she didn't? And this was what lead Sakura to seek out Ino so that she could have a way of understanding. Also because she wanted to buy some flowers for Sasuke to apologize to him, whatever she had done wrong needed to be fixed.

Ino was still staring shocked and almost disbelieving at Sakura. "You are unbelievable, you know that?" Ino shook her head, an almost bittersweet smile on her face. "You really haven't heard of the Uchiha clan massacre?"

"W-what? The Uchiha clan massacre…?" Sakura still didn't understand. Couldn't Ino at least explain it to her? It had taken a lot for her to seek out Ino again after so boldly declaring them rivals all those years ago.

"Really Sakura, you're almost like the Queen in that famous English quote we learnt. You know, the one going: "The Queen thinks that all toilets (bathrooms) smell like fresh paint." It's almost like we're children again. You remember how little you knew of Sasuke-kun back then? How you thought no one would be interested in him? It's the same now. Sasuke-kun…" Ino paused for a short while, suddenly not seeming to know what to say or how to phrase it.

After a moment it seemed like she had found some words as she said: "Sasuke-kun's family is dead. All of them. His mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles. They're all dead. Well, except for him and his brother though. It was his brother who did it; Itachi Uchiha." The last word Ino spoke with such hate Sakura found herself almost growing afraid.

But no, how could this be? How did she not know of what had happened? When had it happened? Did she really know Sasuke, the boy she was infatuated with, at all? "H-how long since…?" Sakura, unsure about how to ask, just let the half-finished sentence hang in the air.

"It happened when we were eight. Or rather, we were eight and you were seven," Ino corrected herself, a half smile on her face. Sakura's own face twisted in pain and confusion. She had gone all these years without knowing, without caring that Sasuke's entire family and clan was dead. She hadn't even cared enough to look into it, to find out much about the boy she claimed to love. 'So this is the reason why he got so mad and why he acts like he does,' Sakura thought, smiling dryly to herself. She'd always thought he was so cool being all aloof and uncaring, but she had never suspected that there was a reason behind it. It was just the way he was, wasn't it? Now she really needed to apologize to him because she had probably really hurt his feelings, or at least brought up bad memories.

"Yoo-hoo? Sakura?" Ino waved a hand in front of Sakura's face, bringing the girl back to reality.

"Huh what?"

"Y'know, forehead, I think that forehead really is hindering your mental capacity. I mean you just spaced out for like five minutes!" Ino grinned teasingly.

"Well at least I'm not a pig, pig!" Sakura yelled back.

"Hmph, so you want something or you're getting out?"

"A pair of white and red roses, gotta show him how sorry I am while capturing his heart!" Sakura grinned mischievously at Ino.

"Hey! You ain't the one loving him, I am!" Ino yelled back. They started bickering again, but Sakura still managed to get her flowers in the end. Now came the problem of finding Sasuke. She walked to the training grounds first, then the hokage monument and the memorial stone but she couldn't find him anywhere. In the end she decided to try and go to the Uchiha district. The last thing she heard, he still lived there, so Sakura hoped to find him there. She still didn't know what to say and focused on that instead of where she was going. Finally, after about ten minutes of walking, she arrived at a lake where there was a small dock. Sakura still couldn't find Sasuke, but decided that she'd take a small break at the dock to try to figure out what to say.

Still looking around, Sakura walked over to the dock and started walking out on it. "What are you doing here?" A slightly cold monotone came from behind her.

Sakura immediately recognized the voice and quickly turned around. There stood Sasuke, a mildly annoyed expression on his face as he looked at her, wondering why she was there. "I- I, um," Sakura wasn't sure what to say and actually seeing Sasuke made her even more uncertain and well as shameful. Her inner screamed at her to do something, but Sakura felt really small where she stood, lost for words.

Sasuke still looked at her, casting a short glance at the flowers before looking back at the startled, yet blushing girl. Was she coming to declare her love to him after insulting him only a few hours before? Sasuke was not amused. When would the fangirls ever stop? Or at least see something more than just his looks and supposed power? Not that he cared that much as in his opinion they were just shallow, lovesick puppies anyhow.

Hanging her head, the small bouquet was shakingly presented forward, Sakura not daring to look at Sasuke anymore. "I-I didn't know," she mumbled out, feeling incredibly stupid where she stood. "I'm sorry. I didn't know about any of it. I'm sorry." Tears threatened to spill out as Sakura finally realized how much she had probably messed up with Sasuke. He'd probably never forgive her, let alone look at her ever again. The flowers would of course not be accepted either. "I'm sorry," she continued to mutter out, sniffling messing up her words as she cried silently. "I'm so so sorry Sasuke-kun. P-please don't hate me."

Sasuke could do nothing but stare for a moment. She wasn't declaring her love for him without caring? She was apologizing? Wait, hadn't she even known? His mind reeled as Sasuke was at a loss of words. He didn't know what to think or do. He just stood there and silently watched the girl apologize to him over and over again. Suddenly there was sniffling and tears there too, and Sasuke fully got back to reality again. As Sakura uttered the last sentence, Sasuke decided he could at least take the flowers. That way he'd at least accept her apology, even if he was still a little mad, but if she really didn't know as she said she didn't then he guessed that he couldn't blame her.

"Hn, it's fine," he replied, taking the flowers from her. He looked them over and noticed how pretty they were before scolding himself. Since when did he care about flowers anyways? Still, his mothers talk and explaining about flowers ran through his mind, making him remember that this was an apology bouquet often used in the West. It was quite the peculiar choice, one Sasuke subconsciously pondered about, but of course he didn't care for such things, he was an Uchiha after all.

"R-really?!" Sakura looked up at Sasuke, unsure if she had heard correct or not. She saw Sasuke looking over the flowers for a moment before he looked back at her. "I-it's really okay?"

"Aa," he stared at her, and for the smallest of moments Sakura thought there was something akin to an amused smirk on his face, as if he'd just confirmed something. Sakura blushed heavily at this, looking quickly away with a smile returning to her face despite her tears.

"O-okay, Sasuke-kun," she smiled shyly up at him. "T-thank you!" Not knowing what more to say and knowing that she hadn't any more real reason to actually be there anymore, Sakura bowed again, stumbling a little under his gaze and hurried towards the entrance of the Uchiha compound, casting small glances at him when she thought he didn't know.

Well at least he had some interesting admirers, some more real than others, he found himself thinking as he saw the last of the pink haired silhouette disappear out of sight. He shook his head, trying to forget his weird thoughts when he remembered the flowers. Since he had received them he found he might as well use them for something. Later that evening, as the young Uchiha went to bed after more heavy training, a pair of white and red roses could be found standing beside a picture of a dark-haired couple. The woman was smiling gently and the man, although with a serious expression, still had gentle eyes.


End file.
